Rumors, Harassment, and More Rumors

by Kari
(UT)

It started when a new neighbor and her family moved in. She was discussing with me plans she had imagined for our joining front yards. When I did not like the idea and started to walk in my front door, she followed, arguing with me. The next morning, I received a knock on the door from the Police. The neighbor had accused me of yelling at her kids. Her kids were nowhere in sight. I knew then problems were to happen. I did not know the extent of what it would become. The police accepted my explanation.

Soon, her four kids would ride their bikes, scooters only back and forth in front of my house. Their parents lived on the same street. They would cut across my yard to get to the neighbors/their daughter's house. If my car was parked in front of my house, the kids would go in the front and throw balls and position themselves so my car would be hit if they missed a catch. They decided to put in a door into their house on the side between us. a bulldozer came in and they started to dig up the lawn.

I had been contemplating a fence in the front, I managed to find a company that came out. In between their construction, they had stacked stone 4 inches away from my new fence. I had replaced my rickety back fence with vinyl. Before it was cured, they tore down the protective barrier and let their dog and kids around the not cured fence posts. They did not like that I put up a front fence.

They built a play gym inches from my new back fence that was three stories. In my city there are no ordinances regarding playground equipment. They could now see everything I did in my backyard. Then they put up security cameras that looked into bedroom windows. My city said it was illegal. The police argued that it was not. They sent it to the City Prosecutor that ok'd it. They put up more cameras when the Prosecutor was determining the outcome of the cameras into my bedroom windows. The City Prosecutor ignored my questions.

My vinyl fence then became damaged when they were working on putting in the new door on their side of the house between us. My cars became dented from balls being hurled their way. I had contacted my insurance company. A new employee told me to take pictures. I had the police called on me again.

I was accused of filming the neighbors. I explained the situation. A police officer listened to my complaints and although they could do nothing, he suggested filing a civil injunction since my property had been damaged and due to the cameras. After a lengthy process, the Lawyer determined the Judge could rule either way, so I benched it to gather more evidence.

The neighbor moved, but then the rumors started by their friends and family, that I was taking pictures. The rumors spread like wildfire. The parents eventually moved. Their good friends stayed on the block and decided to carry out the rumor. As soon as new neighbors moved in, the friend made sure to spread the rumor. Neighbors I knew for years listened. The friend has to continue their lies so they put up at least six cameras on me, hidden, but one neighbor who was not familiar with the situation told me.

It has been a nightmare.